Psych Up Live

In this episode Dr. Scott Small, esteemed neurologist and neuroscientist known for his work in Alzheimer’s disease, discusses his important new book, Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering. In a culture inundated with information and worried about aging and forgetting, this is an extraordinary contribution. In a conversational style, Dr. Small offers the neuroscience of forgetting in a way that is as informative as it is startling. Drawing upon fascinating examples and personal history, he illuminates the reasons that we need “to forget” in order to think flexibly, prioritize, make decisions, be creative, address traumatic memories and remember what is needed. Toward this end he will consider: Why don’t I want a photographic memory? What part of the brain turns up or turns down memory and forgetting? What is the role of sleep in forgetting? What role does forgetting play in addressing trauma and PTSD? What is the difference between cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease? Listen in to an extraordinary guest.

Whether you are newly married, a middle aged couple, the identified In-Laws or the bewildered Out-Laws of an expanded family, you need to hear this show. In it, psychologist and author Dr. Geoffrey Greif draws upon his new and acclaimed book written with Dr. Michael Woolley, “ In-law Relationships: Mothers, Daughters, Fathers, and Sons.” Dr. Greif shares research using interviews and surveys with a total of 1,500 people to illuminate why some in-laws connect and others clash and even crash. He considers the impact of interfaith, interracial, gay and lesbian couples on in-law relationships. He examines the validity of the negative cultural stereotype of mothers-in-law and reports what mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law say. He considers what happens that is different in the relationships between male in-laws and overall offers important strategies for improving any in-law relationship.

In this show, Dr. Diane Ehrensaft, expert in gender research and clinical work, offers parents and professionals an insider understanding of Gender Expansive Children -The little boy who insists he is a girl, the teen who identifies as non-binary – both male and female. Dr. Ehrensaft, the author of The Gender Creative Child and Gender Born, Gender Made, clarifies the difference between gender and assigned sex at birth and explains how threads of nature, nurture and culture weave for each of us a Gender Web. Using examples, she describes a Gender Affirmative Model in which she maintains that children will reveal their authentic gender self- if we listen to what they are telling us in their behavior and words. She discusses that it is often not the gender confusion as much as the gender rejection that leaves children unsupported, unhappy and less confident.

In her new and important book “ Never Say Never- Never Say Always,” Susan Warner invites us to take the journey no one wants to take, but too many have faced. Susan takes us from a family love story to the devastating losses of a son and a spouse within 6 months. She puts words to the insider story of traumatic loss in a way that will touches anyone who has suffered loss. As you will hear in daily details, relationships with family and friends, tears in a closet, emptiness in a house, the difficulty of eating alone, the enduring presence of her son and spouse and the question of ever loving again– she lets us in. Susan shares a journey to acceptance, pushing on and not being defined by societal norms. It is a journey of self-discovery, self-actualization and ultimately working to live her best life. This is a show about loss, possibility and love.

Violence against women is a global health issue. The threats women face today are unapparelled and more dangerous than ever before. When you add the toxic cocktail of technology and social media the danger increases. In this show, former Deputy Sheriff, Joy Farrow and Tech Engineer and trauma survivor Laura Frombach will discuss how women can avoid being victims of violence on many levels. They will discuss and exemplify how women can develop “A Safety Intuition for Defensive Living”, become “ Persuasion Proof,” “ Take a safe walk or a run,” Be aware of “Online Dating – Red Flags,” Travel “Solo and Safe,” handle “The SOS Situation,” and more. What you hear may increase your anxiety but it will empower you in many ways. Women and everyone who loves them should hear this show.

It's Halloween!! In this show, Dr. Frank McAndrew, social psychologist, takes on the questions many of us have pondered-Why do we pay to be scared by horror movies? Why do stories of Hunted Houses persist and intrigue us? What makes clowns loveable to some and terrifying to others? Are some people more likely to see ghosts than others? As someone who has studied and researched aspects of creepiness and horror, Dr. McAndrew offers a perspective you are not likely to find anywhere else. You will learn about the psychological mechanisms behind “creeped out” the “agent detection mechanism” tripped by haunted houses, the factors that might account for the “ sensed presence” of another and other paranormal experiences. Buckle up and listen in to a fascinating show.

In this show, Dr. Frank McAndrew returns to Psych Up Live to answer the question, “Why Do We Fall For Conspiracy Theories? In addressing this question he also addresses the issue of why we hang on to conspiracy theories once we believe them. In his interesting response, Dr. Mc Andrew considers whether certain factors make us more susceptible to embracing conspiracy theories. He proposes that in reality most of us can fall for the “ right” conspiracy theory due to certain biases in how we all process information. Once we believe a conspiracy theory, Dr. McAndrew discusses why these beliefs are very difficult to undo. He discusses the impact of many forms of media in often providing a “ false consensus” and “ Exposure Effect” that fuels conspiracy theories. Dr. Mc Andrews describes why conspiracy theories flourish in atmospheres of fear and the consequences of conspiracy theories. You will be intrigued and informed. Listen in.

If you are in a relationship, you have to hear this episode. It will be as enjoyable as it will be strikingly helpful to you and your partner. According to psychotherapist and author, Keith Wilson, if you are in a real relationship and you haven’t had a conflict yet – you haven’t been paying attention. As Keith describes, violence is the avoidance of conflict. Being able to work through clashes as a couple, offers great potential. With anecdote, metaphor and examples, Keith draws upon 30 years of practice with couples to discuss the steps for regulating conflict. He will invite you to turn off the alarm in your head that scans partner disconnection, know where and how to ask the right questions – be it about an affair or getting up for the kids. He will clarify how to give and get feedback, avoid the four fouls that contaminate any conflict and turn conflict into really knowing, trusting and loving each other. Listen in.

How do you get along with your adult siblings? Are you like friends? Have you stopped talking or connecting with siblings? No matter what the relationship, you are not alone. In this episode, Dr. Geoffrey Greif, professor and author, returns to Psych Up Live with his new co-authored book, Adult Sibling Relationships.In the show, Dr. Greif draws upon his personal interviews with people over 45 and people's responses to The Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale to share the stories and reasons people give for what connects them with their siblings and what has pulled them apart. Adding his clinical understanding, Dr. Greif considers that sibling relationships are as complicated as they are important. Most are neither all good nor all bad.They carry with them the impact of parents, birth order, personality, gender, money issues, rivalries, great care and much more. As you will hear, sibling relationships are complex: but there are ways to better understand and even improve them.

In a post #MeToo era, many men want to take a step away from toxic masculinity, which perpetuates domination and aggression and consciously and unconsciously pressures men to behave in a certain way. A central theme of moving away from Toxic Masculinity is Sexual Consent- whether at a fraternity party or on the fifth date. The question of consent is one of concern for many men because they are uncertain about how to ask for it. They fear doing something wrong or wonder if it means giving up on impromptu much less gratifying sexual connection. This show provides the answers. In it, Dr. Eric FitzMedrud draws upon his new and important book, The Better Man: A Guide to Stronger Relationships and Hotter Sex to address the issues around sexual connection without drawing upon toxic masculinity. Eric’s goal is to help men navigate sexual relationships with respect by giving them the skills to be better lovers, partners and humans. Everyone who wants a relationship with mutually satisfying sexual connection will benefit from his expertise. Listen In.

Since the Columbine massacre, there have been a total of 368 school shootings. Since January,2023 there have already been 30 school shootings that caused deaths and injuries. This show addresses the helplessness, fear, grief and rage so many feel. In this show, Dr. Peter Langman, nationally and internationally renowned expert on School Shootings draws upon his years of experience and publications to discuss his latest book, Warning Signa: Identifying School Shooters Before They Strike. What he invites us to understand is that if students, administrators, teachers, parents and the general public know more about school shooters and the warning signs, they may actually save lives. To this end, Dr. Langman offers us an informed look at school shooters. He corrects and clarifies stereotypes, the gender, the way that guns are acquired, targets, and how shooters plan their attack. Discussing the pathology of school shooters he divides them into three categories and dispels the myths of being bullied or watching too many video games as lethal causes. Importantly he focuses on how a school community can read warning signs through “ leakage” and “attack-related behaviors.” He stresses the importance of taking any threat seriously, the value of anonymous phone report lines and the presence a School Threat Assessment Team. You will be as frightened as you will be informed, and encouraged to recognize that if you see something – say something. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Dr. Peter Langman.

The issue and need for racial diversity among police officers reflects an attempt to ease growing tensions that have emerged in the wake of racialized police violence and the Black Lives Matter movement. Underlying the question of whether officer racial diversity improves community-police relations is the question - How do Black Officers feel? How do they balance Blue Culture and Black Lives Matter? In this show, Sociologist and Professor, Dr. Kayla Preito-Hodge offers some answers. She draws upon recent findings from her important research “ Behind the Badge and the Veil: Black Police Officers in the Era of Black Lives Matter.” Her findings suggest that Black Officers possess a double consciousness that enables them to view and experience the world through both a radicalized and occupational lens. She is joined by Dr. Kalfani Turè, a black man, former police officer, and Senior Fellow in the Urban Ethnography Project at Yale Universities. Dr Ture will add a unique prospective on matters of race, place, and urban law enforcement. Listen in to a very important show.

Many people face unspeakable loss of a family member or witness the suffering and loss of a loved one with the wounds of war. They wonder how they will go on. In this show you will hear the personal stories of four people who have faced such loss and taken on survival missions that translate heartache into help and hope for others. You will hear from Mary Fetchet Co-founder of the Voices of 9/11 whose outreach to others in the aftermath of losing her son on 9/11has touched many worldwide; Rogerlyn Cipriano Esq., founder of Angels for Warriors whose concern for her veteran brother’s anguish and pain became translated into an important mission for veterans, particularly pro bono legal help; and Dr. William and Bev Feigelman, mental health professionals who in the aftermath of losing their son to suicide co-authored Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope with the Death of a Child to Suicide or Drugs and became spokesmen and clinicians to prevent suicide and respond to family survivors.

In this show Carol Novello, founder of Mutual Rescue and author of Mutual Rescue, returns to Psych UP Live with an exciting and expansive focus on the power of people-pet rescue and connection. Discussing the stories captured in a new set of award winning mini films, Carol considers how mutual rescue addresses trauma, pain, othering, bias, and loneliness. She discusses the neurophysiology of the pet-person connection and describes options for people who cannot actually adopt a pet but want to share in the experience of loving homeless furry friends. As she will share, an animal’s ability to show us unfiltered affection and loyalty despite the heartbreaks and loss of everyday life, teaches us so much about the courage to embrace each moment of connection. You will love this show.

In this episode, Dr. Therese Huston draws upon her new book, Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower, and her experience speaking to academic audiences and businesses like Microsoft and Amazon to teach us how to give feedback, even negative feedback, in a way that turns it into a productive conversation. She considers why 80% of managers feel they are saying the right things; but less than 20% of employees feel appreciated. She asks why men are evaluated on work skills while women are often judged on their personality. Dr. Huston identifies and exemplifies the three types of feedback as Appreciation, Coaching and Evaluation and asks us to discern what an employee wants and needs. She discusses how and why to use praise and urges us to side with the employee rather than the problem. She reminds us that if people feel threatened their brains go into lockdown. Inherent in her message of what makes feedback powerful is the principle -“ Listen as if your job depends on it.”

In this show Jennie Kramer, LCSW-R draws upon her experience in treating all forms of eating disorders and her co-authored book, Overcoming Binge Eating for Dummies to offer expert and useable information on Binge Eating Disorder (BED). With sensitivity and realistic perspective, she answers questions like-What is Binge Eating? Does it differ from compulsive eating or overeating? Who binges and why? She underscores the health risks associated with Binge Eating Disorder and describes first steps to change for those struggling. She accounts for the physical, psychological and social factors involved in change and highlights questions like the difference between emotional and physical hunger. She considers pros and cons of treatment options while at the same time offering 10 things to do now instead of bingeing. If you or someone you love needs clear and expert information on Binge Eating, this is the show to hear.

In this episode Dr. Kristin Neff, widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on self-compassion, draws upon her personal introduction to self-compassion, her years of pioneering research, and her book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, to offer listeners an understanding of this powerful but often misunderstood and overlooked resource. In an interesting and useable way she defines self-compassion and compares it with self- pity and self-esteem. She demonstrates the power of self-compassion to enhance self-knowledge and motivation and describes and exemplifies its use of self-kindness, human connection and mindfulness to offset self-criticism and the trap of self-loathing. To hear Kristin Neff, is to receive an insider’s understanding of a powerful resource for coping, healing and growing in every day life. Self- Compassion is within our grasp.

Whether you are 8, 18 or 81 years old, there’s a good chance you know what it is like to worry. You may even be someone for whom worry has taken up too much space in your story. This show is going to address worry. Our guest is Dr. Deborah Serani, psychologist and author of many books including the latest book in her children’s series “ Sometimes When I’m Worried.” With that book as our prompt, this show is going to broaden the lens on understanding Worry across the life span. In the discussion with Dr. Serani, we will define worry, and clarify its relationship with anxiety and the physical Fight, Flight, Freeze response to danger. We will discuss and exemplify strategies for addressing worry in adults and Dr. Serani will read and draw upon her new book, Sometimes When I’m Worried to illuminate how worry is experienced and can be addressed in children. You will be informed – Listen in.

In this episode, Co-founders, Colum McCann and Lisa Consiglio introduce us to Narrative 4, a global organization headed up by some of the world's most renowned and influential authors, artists and community leaders who believe language and literature are essential tools for creating a better society. They will share the way in which Narrative 4 has built empathy and bridged tens of thousands around the world in classrooms and communities etc., with the key methodology of the story exchange. Particularly important given a landscape of national and international strife, is Colum and Lisa’s description of this year’s mission of “Empathy Into Action,” a campaign that uses the story exchanges to break open historically intractable issues. They will describe their inaugural event “A Narrative for Gun Awareness” between gun advocates and those who have suffered loss and injury due to gun violence. Listen in and consider the possibilities for radical empathy fostered by Narrative 4.

In this episode Dr. Gillihan discusses his book, Retrain the Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 weeks. Dr. Gillihan clarifies the way in which thoughts, feelings and behaviors interact to play a role in actually increasing anxiety and depression. He maintains that people suffering from mild to moderate anxiety and depression can take steps to bring about changes. Be it panic attacks, fear of flying, or self-defeating procrastination, he will point out examples from this 7 week program that guide us to reconsider our behaviors, identify and reduce negative thought patterns, and understand and regulate feelings. In the back and forth with host, Suzanne Phillips he will consider the role of acceptance in reducing both anxiety and depression. Listen in, and write in with questions to radiohostphillips@gmail.com